YACHT MANAGEMENT
OPTIMISING RELIABILITY AND PROTECTING VALUE
At Hill Robinson, we manage the complexities of owning and operating yachts of all sizes, offering a full suite of services to cover every aspect of ownership.
Based globally, our experienced and multilingual team strive to protect our clients’ best interests so they can enjoy their yacht stress free. Having garnered a wealth of experience and capabilities over two decades, our team provides a much deeper level of service compared to the industry standard.
Why choose our yacht management services?
— Highly qualified, experienced & passionate people: Our senior managers boast a wealth of experience, which filters throughout our teams. As a result, our clients benefit from a level of professionalism and dedication that exceeds expectations.
— Industry-leading ratio of managers to yachts: Client service teams – consisting of a yacht manager, compliance manager, technical manager, accountant, and administrator – manage a small number of yachts to allow for personalised day-to-day support.
— Flexible management packages: Our services are tailored to each yacht’s setup and ownership structure, allowing clients to choose the support they need.
— Safety and compliance: We navigate the complex web of regulations and ensure each yacht operates according to the applicable maritime laws.
— Transparent budgeting: We give owners a full and accurate picture of the expenditure required to operate their vessel and to keep their yacht in good condition and protect its value, so to allow them to make informed decisions.
— Round-the-clock technical support: Whether it’s a minor glitch or more severe, our team are the first point of contact for the crew, swiftly assessing the situation and coordinating the appropriate assistance.
— Proactive maintenance: Our team implements proactive measures to ensure the yacht is maintained and serviced to the highest standards, pre-empting any issues before they occur and optimising reliability.
— Supported crew: Our hands-on approach means that, instead of adding to the crew’s workload, we deliver solutions that make their lives easier, saving time for the crew and money for the owner.
— Cost savings: From procuring for parts and provisions to negotiating shipyard contracts, we have developed strong relationships across the industry and our purchasing power enables us to secure more competitive pricing for our clients.
— Seamless shipyard periods: By monitoring a yacht throughout its cruising seasons, our team can seamlessly support preparations for its maintenance or refit periods.
— Unbiased decision-making: While brokerage is the driving force for many yacht management companies, we maintain a distinct separation between our yacht management services and the commission-led activities of the Hill Robinson Group’s brokerage arm, Moravia Yachting. Yacht management is a fixed fee, no commissions service.
“The most frequent comment I receive is that my 12 year old yacht looks like a newly-built yacht, which is the result of Hill Robinson’s extraordinarily diligent, dedicated and professional yacht management.”
Owner of 39m Feadship
“The Compliance Team have always been extremely helpful to the smooth running of our operation. Their expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to ensuring we meet all regulatory requirements have been very beneficial to us. The team’s proactive approach and thorough understanding of compliance has provided us with the guidance we need to stay on track.”
Benjamin Chief Officer
80m+ Silver Yachts motor yacht
SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
Yachts are obligated to comply with an increasing amount of maritime safety, security, environmental, and employment regulations.
Depending on a yacht’s size and whether it is privately or commercially operated, various maritime codes and conventions are applicable. With extensive experience navigating this complex and evolving regulatory landscape, our team will advise on the best way to achieve an owner’s obligations and goals.
Our safety and compliance services include:
— 24/7 emergency support
— Designated Person Ashore (DPA)
— Emergency and crisis management
— Online vessel tracking system
— Safety Management System (SMS)
— Compliance with the requirements of the International Safety Management Code (ISM), International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) and Maritime Labour Convention (MLC)*
— Compliance with specific flag requirements of simplified management system (Mini-ISM) for yachts less than 500GT
— Annual internal safety audits
— Shipboard Security Plan (SSP) and Assessment (SSA)*
— Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)
*As applicable
HRClick
A simple yet powerful digital tool that streamlines processes and improves efficiency. Comprising HRClick Desktop and HRClick Forms Application, the system enables yachts to easily stay on top of crew certification, hours of rest, forms and checklists, yacht certification, and general operational administration.
Everything relating to onboard safety management and compliance is centralised and easily managed. With the system designed to be user friendly and intuitive, crew can streamline all processes so that they can do their jobs more efficiently.
YACHT ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL CONTROL
Secure, transparent and efficient financial management is vital for smooth yacht operations and ensuring fraud prevention.
Prompt handling of payments and following stringent anti-corruption policies are amongst our greatest strengths. Our experienced in-house team of qualified accountants meticulously track expenses, revenues, and budget allocation. Our systems provide regular accounting returns, improve efficiency and ensure we manage the yacht’s finances with full transparency and accountability.
Our yacht accounting and financial control services include:
— Dedicated yacht accountants
— Annual operating and maintenance budgeting
— Cost control, cash flow reporting and invoice approval
— Organising funds and payments
— Ship’s banking, debit cards and cash
— Strict fraud prevention procedures
— Paperless process and electronic archiving
— Detailed monthly or quarterly financial reports
— Analysis of actual spend vs. budget
For administering payments, we can:
— Set up a separate account and secure accounting system, including debit cards, to be used for regular payments in relation to all yacht expenses and allocate a dedicated accountant.
— Provide onboard accounts administration and arrange accounting training for crew, including supplying the yacht with adequate petty cash and retaining accurate details of such sums.
— Review all invoices rendered by third parties to ensure conformity and accuracy compared with purchase orders, the agreed quotations and budgets, and arrange payment.
Budgeting
Proper budgeting is pivotal for planning, controlling and evaluating the yacht’s expenditure and maintaining operational efficiency. To do so, our team consider every aspect of the yacht’s operation, including size, number of crew, its itinerary, the survey and maintenance schedule and the owner’s usage.
SAMPLE BUDGET
“Hill Robinson has been a pleasure to work with. Between the knowledge and hard work of their teams, always supportive along complex logistical seasons, with major refits in between, everything was well managed on time and on budget. This successful teamwork allowed extraordinary achievements on a much more reliable and comfortable fleet for the best experience of our owners and guests.”
Tomi Fleet captain of a +60m and +70m converted yacht support
TECHNICAL AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
Every
yacht owner has limited time and expects trouble-free seasons onboard their yacht.
Our technical team helps optimise the yacht’s reliability for owner and guest usage by supporting the engineers and implementing proactive measures to ensure all systems are maintained and serviced to the highest safety and operational standards.
Our technical and maintenance management support covers every aspect of a yacht’s upkeep. From routine inspections to intricate repairs, we ensure each yacht’s optimal condition. With naval architects, engineers and surveyors on our team, plus a network of skilled engineers and technicians, we ensure rapid response and high-quality workmanship, minimising downtime and maximising the owners’ onboard enjoyment.
Our technical and maintenance support includes:
— Technical inspections
— Emergency technical support
— Allocated technical managers
— Hull and machinery insurance claims handling
— Breakdown consultations
— Technical inspections
— Monitor and review Statutory and Classification requirements and surveys
— Liaising with class/flag and insurance surveyors
— Technical budget building and control
— Advising on specialist contractors and other third parties needed onboard
— Preparing maintenance periods worklists and relevant budgets with the crew
— Review planned maintenance
Technical inspections
The technical team plays a pivotal role in maintaining Statutory and Classification standards by collaborating closely with the compliance department, particularly in preparation for and during class and flag surveys.
They support annual internal audits conducted by the compliance team through technical inspections, ensuring planned maintenance has been completed and identifying any defects.
During class and flag surveys, the technical team facilitates the process by contributing their knowledge of the yacht and assisting in the surveyor-crew communication.
Additional Technical Services include:
— Condition and pre-purchase surveys
— Refit planning and project management
— New builds supervision
— Specifications and contracts reviews
— Delivery and acceptance surveys
OPERATIONAL AND CREW SUPPORT
Smooth operations and satisfied crew are the heart of an exceptional yachting experience.
Owners can focus on enjoying their time at sea while we handle the logistics and support to make every voyage exceptional. Our multilingual, worldwide yacht operations support is available to captains and crew around the clock.
Our operational and crew support includes:
— Continuous budget and cost control
— Shoreside logistics and office support
— Proactive assistance and communications
— Onboarding of captains
— Assist with crew matters and travel arrangements
— Assist with general supplies and procurement
— Assist with local authorities and port for berths
— Give guidance on international cruising requirements
— Advise and negotiate yacht and crew insurance renewals.
— Handle insurance claims*
— Monitor vessel movements to aid safety management
— Compile owner reports
*Complex claims requiring serious investigations are subject to additional time fees to be agreed with owner.
“One of the friendliest management companies to work with. The yacht and the project managers are available to speak around the clock and when I go to the Antibes office there are always the same welcoming faces. There have been some tough decisions over the years, but as a team, we’re always able to find an amicable solution.”
Mark Captain 80m+ Abeking
& Rasmussen
The role of the yacht manager
As the yacht’s central point of contact, the yacht manager will liaise between the owner or their representative, the captain and crew, all our departments and external parties. Insurance brokers and underwriters, port agents, fuel suppliers and fiscal agents are just some of the main stakeholders we work with on a regular basis. Keeping in close contact with all parties, our yacht managers have a full, up-todate picture of the programme, plans, crew, issues, incidents and defects so that the yacht has all the operational and crew support it needs. This includes:
— Crew management: The yacht manager oversees processes related to crew contracts, payroll, bonuses and salary increases, crew appraisals, crew grievances, holiday allowances, and termination and severance.
— Crew and yacht administration: The yacht manager and administrator upload and monitor the yacht and crew certificates to ensure that the vessel and crew are fully compliant with all applicable regulations.
— Financial management: Together with the yacht accountants, the yacht manager is involved in preparing the yearly budgets, monitoring expenditure, preparing monthly funds requests and reporting on unforeseen expenses.
— Insurance: The yacht manager ensures the yacht and crew are insured, including but not limited to protection and indemnity, hull and machinery, cyber-attacks, and crew medical and personal accident, and will coordinate claim handling.
— Owner reporting: The yacht manager provides regular reports, incorporating accounting returns, events that might impact the budget or yacht’s availability, human resources issues, budget savings and any crew, technical and compliance updates.
— Emergencies: The yacht manager will oversee our emergency response and coordinate with team members, class and flag states and insurance companies, as appropriate.
— Sale of yacht: Working with the brokers and lawyers, the yacht manager will assist with the administration of the sale of the yacht, ensuring that all requested documentation is available in a timely manner and a seamless handover to new owners and managers.
YACHT CONSULTANCY
Our yacht consultancy option is designed for yachts with lighter support requirements.
This is an ideal option for owners and captains who prefer to manage their yachts more in-house but can still benefit hugely from the support and knowledge of our experienced yacht managers.
This time-based consultancy support option (In place of full management services), is tailored to individual needs and allows access to guidance and advice about any ownership, operational, and technical matter.
“With increased demands and a growing list of regulations and requirements, I found the support that the Hill Robinson team provided the crew and I was the perfect accompaniment to ensuring a smooth season and the handling of all day-to-day back office operations and overall management of a busy yacht.”
Josh Captain 24m Bering Yachts